Steel finger device for use with bowling balls



Sept. 2-, 1924; ,778,. v G. SENN STEEL FINGER DEVICE FOR USE WITH BOWLING BALLS Filed Oct. 29 1923 a nvewlio r gee/ye Jenn Patented Sept. 2, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEEL FINGER DEVICE FOR USE WITH BOWLING BALLS.

Application filed October 29, 1923. Serial No. 671,414.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE SENN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Green Bay, in the county of Brown and State of lVisconsin, have invented a Steel Finger Device for Use with Bowling Balls, of which the following is a specification.

The object 01' my invention is to provide a mechanical device to be used in place of human fingers in grasping and throwing a bowling ball.

I attain this and other objects of my invention by the mechanism illustrated,in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my invention as it appears in use, a bowling ball being shown partly in section;

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view of the device in relaxed or released position; and

Fig. 4; is a plan view of a modified form of my invention.

Like numerals indicate like parts in each of the several Views.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, I provide a suitably shaped handle 2 having an integral finger element 1 at one end and pivoted to the finger element 4 mounted by pivot 5 to the free end 3 of handle 2. Members -l and 1 are both provided w'th cylindrical leather covered ends 8. T ese ends normally are disposed to point towards a common point, whereby the weight of the ball will. cause it to be held by the fingers of the device in the manner shown in Fig. 1.

I preferably provide suitable spring-holding elements 6 secured by suitable pivots 12 to the upper ends of members 1 and 4. I provide also a suitable coil spring 7 attached to and extending between members 6, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

In another form of my invention I substitute the fiat spring 11 in place of the coil spring 7 and spring-attaching element 6. In

operating the device, the leather covered ends 8 of fingers 1 and 4E are engaged in sockets 3 of a bowling ball 10, the handle 2 being grasped by the hand, as shown in Fig. 1.

The ball is released automatically as the hand is swung forward in the act of bowling. The weight of the ball forces the hand to close when it reaches the end of the forward arc, thus causing the spring to open the steel fingers of the device and release the ball. The device does not injure the balls or alleys and gives the same exercise without causing the frequent injury to fingers which may occur when the bowling ball is grasped directly by the hand. The device is especially suitable for persons with tender fingers and does not lessen the players skill in throwing the ball.

lVhat I claim is 1. In a device of the class described comprising a handle having a finger member formed integrally therewith, a second finger member pivotally mounted to the handle, and resilient means operatively connecting the outer ends of said finger members.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a handle member, a finger element integral with the handle member, a swingable finger element pivoted on the free end of the handle, each of said finger elements having leather covered ends, said ends pointing toward a common point, and resilient means pivotally connecting the outer ends of the finger elements and adapted to be grasped by the palm of the hand, for the purposes described.

3. In a steel finger device for use with bowling balls, a handle member, a steel finger integral with said handle member, said finger member having a leather covered cylindrical end, a second finger member pivotally mounted on the handle member and having a corresponding cylindrical leather covered end, said ends being disposed at an angle to each other, whereby the fingers will normally snugly engage in sockets in the bowling ball, and resilient means pivotally attached to and extendin between the outer ends of the respective finger elements, sub stantially as shown and for the purposes described.

GEORGE SENN. 

